Sounds like Microsoft won't be evoking any fond memory of blue screens of death

News continues to trickle out about the upcoming version of Microsoft Corp.'s (MSFT) Windows operating system. Set to land later this year, builds of the new OS, code-named "Blue" have trickled out to select partners -- which in turn has led to leaks.

The latest news to emerge comes courtesy of Roman L. (handle:AngleWZR), a developer who has been analyzing the leaked builds. He notes on his Twitter that the latest leaked build -- build 9375 -- has a text string in the lower right-hand corner labeling it "Windows 8.1".

One other minor piece of Windows 8.1/Blue related news courtesy of Mr. Thurrott's WinSuperSite : apparently Microsoft has tweaked the Search Charm in its latest builds. Where Windows 8 made you pick between "Apps, Settings, or Files" , the new search does away with that, allowing you to start typing immediately. Instead of pre-selecting the category, it simply clumps the results by category.

[Image Source: WinSuperSite]

ZDNet Windows blogger Mary Jo Foley says that Windows 8.1 should hit RTM in August. A beta is rumored to be slotted for Microsoft's June BUILD conference.

I like the new desktop design a lot too. It's clean, efficient and well laid out. Task Manage, File Transfer, new device pop up, all the little things have been improved on the desktop side. It also boots faster, shut downs faster, and so on and so forth.

Win8 to me is well worth the $45 I spent on it for how it improves on almost every windows desktop function I do.

But if you want to keep mindlessly hating it go ahead, you are the one missing out.